On Monday, the District Attorney for Los Angeles County, George Gascón, joined two legislators from the surrounding area to introduce a proposed piece of legislation that would safeguard undocumented residents of California who have been victims of crimes or witnesses from being deported if they come forward.
According to a statement released by the district attorney, “far too often, undocumented victims of crime and witnesses to crime are afraid to come forward because they are afraid of deportation.” Your immigration status ought not to ever be a barrier to your ability to stay safe.
If we protect those who are the most vulnerable, we can ensure public safety for everyone and ensure that everyone has equal access to the legal system…. I will never stop advocating for rules and procedures that, on the one hand,
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ensure that persons who cause harm are held accountable and, on the other hand, increase access to justice for undocumented members of our community.
Extortion, domestic abuse, and stalking are some of the crimes that fall under the purview of the measure; however, this list is not exhaustive.
Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, a Democrat from Los Angeles, is the primary author of the “Immigrant Rights Act,” which is also supported by Gascón.
The undocumented population is “more likely to be victims and survivors of crime than their citizen counterparts,” according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who also referred to the initiative as a “true test of our state’s commitment to justice for all.”
Assembly Bill 1261 has also received backing from organizations such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), the Koreatown Youth & Community Center (KYCC), the Thai Community Development Center, and the Chinatown Service Center.
According to Peter Ng, chief executive officer of Chinatown Service Center, “The ‘Immigrant Rights Act’ protects undocumented immigrant victims from crimes of domestic violence and human trafficking.”
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“Under this bill, victims who assist law enforcement with an investigation will be eligible to submit an application for a visa that will allow them and their families to remain in the nation. Please do not be hesitant to report it if you are a victim of such heinous crimes; you have nothing to hide. You may be protected by this law.”
According to the proponents of the measure, it would further the state’s goal of protecting its most vulnerable residents by codifying the procedures for certain types of visas for undocumented people who have been victims of certain crimes or witnesses who have assisted in law enforcement investigations. This would promote the state’s goal of protecting its most vulnerable residents.
The chief executive officer of AJSOCAL, Connie Chung Joe, stated that the new legislation removes barriers for undocumented crime victims involving the visas and “empowers” them to come forward for assistance without fear of being deported.
